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cycling: Bredene Koksijde Classic: Ackermann & Märkl bring in German victories

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Ackermann Pascal Koksijde Niklas Märkl

Cycling: Pascal Ackermann (Bora – hansgrohe) won the Bredene Koksijde Classic. In the mass sprint, the German champion left Norway's Kristoffer Halvorsen (Sky) and Colombian Alvaro Hodeg (Deceuninck – Quick-Step) behind. In the U23 class, the German Niklas Märkl (Sunweb Development Team) won the Youngster Coast Challenge.

Bredene Koksijde Classic

Pascal Ackermann with the perfect timing

Today, the timing was perfect. After Pascal Ackermann (Bora – hansgrohe) had recently been caught too early in the wind on several occasions, he left the competition no chance today. Kristoffer Halvorsen (Sky) and Alvaro Hodeg (Deceuninck – Quick-Step) – the winners of 2017 and 2018 – were left behind. Three kilometers from the finish, a crash involving Hugo Hofstetter (Cofidis) and Jens Debusschere (Lotto – Soudal) occurred . Previously, the Belgian one-day race was known as the Handzame Classic. This time, however, the 199,15-kilometer course from Bredene to Koksijde was renamed the Bredene Koksijde Classic. Six breakaway riders controlled the race for an extended period, but the sextet was finally caught within the final three laps. With four inclines and nine cobblestone sections, a mass sprint was expected even before the start, as there were no major obstacles to overcome in the last 65 kilometers.

Youngster Coast Challenge: Niklas Märkl ensures German victory

Even before the professionals took to the course, the U23 riders competed in the Youngster Coast Challenge. In a sprint finish within a large group, Niklas Märkl (Sunweb Development Team) secured a German victory. The 20-year-old won ahead of Belgian Jarne Van de Paar and Dane Alexander Salby. Märkl had already demonstrated his excellent form just a few days earlier with his victory in the prologue of the Istrian Spring Trophy.

Tags:Bredene Koksijde ClassicHandzame ClassicNewsNicholas MarklPascal AckermannYoungster Coast Challenge

About Michael Behringer

Cycling with all its tactics, stage analyses, placements and forecasts are Michael Behringer's great passion. In 1996 he tracked his first Tour de France. Since then he has observed almost every race. His passion for cycling has been with him for over two decades. There is no end in sight.